The present invention relates to fasteners in general and more particularly to fasteners with lock rings that are permanently installed in a workpiece and which typically cooperate with another fastener to hold objects to the workpiece. An example would be an insert or stud.
Inserts installed in a workpiece provide a means of attachment of an object to the workpiece. Inserts are used when the stress requirements are greater than are provided by the workpiece. An insert can distribute the stress over a much greater area and can be harder material than would be provided by the workpiece alone. An example of an insert is a plug-like object having external threads to bite into or cooperate with the workpiece material. The insert also has internal threads for receiving the male threads of a cooperating piece.
Studs in contrast provide an anchor for attachment of objects to a workpiece. A stud secures to a workpiece with male threads and itself provides male threads for cooperation with a female threaded nut or other fastening means.
Obviously, separation of the fasteners from the workpiece is not desired. The threads of the insert and stud can be of hardened material, much harder than the workpiece. It is not uncommon to also provide against the backing out of the threads due to vibration.
The action used may often entail keeping track of separate lock rings which bite into the workpiece and by coacting with the insert or stud and the workpiece they prevent rotational movement.
A patent search of the prior art discloses no invention similar to the present discovery. While U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,822,014; 2,849,046; 3,215,183; 3,454,072 and 4,067,371 disclose fasteners with locking rings none of them disclose a locking ring permanently attached to the fastening means and made of the same material during the manufacture of the fastening means. None further discloses a fastening means that is not completed until the lock ring and fastening means are manufactured.